Flexible joint



E. H. GOLD ET AL FLEXIBLE JOINT Aug. 23,1921. 1,639,171

Filed Mallen 18. 192s 2 sheets-sheet 1 Aug. 23, 1927. E. H GOLD ET AL FLEXIBLE lJOINT Flled March 18. 192s 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 letented ug. 23, `1927.

, narran s'rATes parlarvi* oFFicn.

EGBERT H. GOLD OF EVANSTON, AND EDWARD A. RUSSELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS; SAID RUSSELL ASSIGNOR OF HIS ONE-HALFl TO VAPOR CAR HEATING COMPANY, INC., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, .A CORPORATION OF NEI/V YORK.

FLEXIBLE Jonv'r.l

Original application iled March 17, 19.22, Serial No. 544,448. Divided and this application filed March 18, 192e. serial no. 95,805.

Our invention relates to a conduit or tubular structure consisting of metal elements flexibly articulated so as to form a fluid tight connect-ion between the train pipes of the adjacent cars of a railroad train, toV talrethe place of the rubbeil hoses ordinarily used for this purpose. The complete connection consists in each case, 'of two exible structures, one for each of the train pipes, to be connected, these structures being coupled. together by any suitable means, for example, thc couplers such as are used with` the rubber hoses heretofore generally employed for making this connection.

rl`he conduit consists, in generah of a vertically disposed conduit member', which is suspended from the end of the car trainpipe, and a. horizontally disposed conduit member supported at one end from the lower end of thc vertically disposed conduit member, and carrying at its free end the coupler for engaging the corresponding coupler on the con` duit of the adjacent car. Suitable flexible connections of the improved type hereinafter set forth, are employed to support the vertically disposed conduit member from the car, and the horizontally disposed conduit member from the vertical conduit member, so that the requisite. flexibility is permitted, first) to permit the engagement or disengagement of the couplers, and, second, to allow the articulated members a range of movements necessary in order that the connection may accommodate itself to the movements of the car with respect to the adjacentcar when the train rounds curves or passes over inequalities in the track. Y

When t-hecar is at the end of thetrain the pipe connecting structure at the rearr` ext-remityl of the car, will, obviously,.have no mating element to be coupled with, and in such `case itis necessary to have a supporting vdevice for the coupler and the horizontally extending conduit member, else these parts will hang down and be damaged by contact with the ties or other parts of the traclr or roadbed. This improved conduit structure embodies `an improved `,and simple device for permanently supporting vthe outer end ofthe `pipe connecting structure and holding the samev at a safe distance above the roadbed, this improved supporting device beingrdisclosed and claimed in oui copending application, Serial No. 544,448,

led March Y17, 1922, now Patent No. l,589,- 801, dated J une 22, 1926, of which this pres- Other objects land advantages of` this 1nvention will be more apparent from the following detailed description of certain approved forms of the apparatus.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l` is a view in elevation, ofV a flexible connection constructed in accordance with our invention, for connecting` the steam train pipes of adjacent railway cars.

Fig. 2 is a central vertical longitudinal section through the upper universal joint and adjacent portions of the flexible conduit.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken substantially on the line 3 3 of F ig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the adapter for attachment of the flexible con` duit structure to the car train pipe.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken subv` stantially on the linel 5 5 of Fig. l.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. l shows the complete connection as consisting of two ilentical structures, one attached to one of thetrain pipes, and the other attached to the train pipe of the adjacent car.

It will be understood, however, that assum ing the use of a standard type of coupler,

the connecting device or flexible conduit of our invention might be coupled up with any other scrt of connecting device, such, for example, as the rubber hose type of connection heretofore commonly used upon th-e steam or air train pipes of railway cars.

In the flexible metallic conduit structure, as shown in the drawings, l is a union or adapter for supporting the flexible conduit structure from the end 2 of the car train pipe, the adaptery being angular as shown, so that the flexible conduit structure will hangsubstantially in a .vertical position. In the drawings, the internal diameter of the flexible conduit structure is shown as larger than the internal Vdiameter of the train pipe end valve, and consequently the upper end 3 ofthe adapter which screws horizontally dispo en into the end 2 of the train pipe end valve, is smaller in diameter than thelower end 4 of the adapter into which is screwed the neck portion 5 of the upper socket member. By changing the adapters, the flexible structures, as hereinafter disclosed, may be attached to train pipes of different diameters Without altering the flexible conduitstructures ortho end train pipe valve.

rlhe vertically disposed conduit member G is suspended from the adapter 1 by means of the fleT le joint and articulating connections indicated generally at 7, and the l conduit member 8 is connected by a similar flexible joint 9 with an elhou7 fitting 10 secured to the lower end of the vertically disposed conduit member G. rlhe free end of the horizontal conduit member 8 carries the lcoupler 11 adapted to be joined to'a similar mating coupler 12 carried by the flexible conduit structure on the adjacent car. These couplers 11 and 12 are here shown as of the common form of gravity hose couplers adapted to be engaged With or disengaged from a mating coupler by a rocking movement,

rl`he upper flexible joint i" is adapted to permit universal angular movement of the intermediate vertically disposed conduit member 6, Within certain limits, and also permit a swiveling or rotar'7 movement of the conduit member G about itscentral longitudinal axis. This flexible joint cornprises a socket member 13, having an upper neck portion 5 adapted to be screwed into the lower end 4 of the adapted hereinabove described. Into the ring 14 Which surrounds the lower end of socket member 137 is fitted a pair of'diainetrically disposec bushings 15 of brass or bronze. These bushings have closed, preferably conical ends 16 and have a threaded engagement With the ring 14 so that when Worn they may be r-eadily removed and replaced. The yoke 1? comprises a central annular neck portion 18, from which arise the oppositely disposed arms 19, into the upper ends of which are screwed the preferably hard. steel pivot studs 20, having smooth end poitions 21V fitting closely into the bushings 15. refcrably each. stud is formed with a central lubricant duct 22 and with radial branch ducts 23 extending from the central duct to the bearing surfaces between the stud and the bushing. ln assembl'ng these parts, the bushing 15 is partly filled with a lubricant, which is forced through the ducts 22 and s3 when the stud is screwed down into the bushing. The stud may be held in place, if desired, by any suitable form of nut lock 24.

c A pair of bosses 25 extend horizontally at diametrically opposite points from the vlower portion of sock-et member 13, and bushings, similar tothe bushings 15,

The hollow ball mcmber'27, Which adapted to extendloosely into the cylindrical'socket 28 in socketmember 13, has a downwardly extending neck portion 29 threaded 30 to engage in the upper end of the intermediate vertically disposed conduit member 6. The neck portion 2,9 eX- tenus doivn through the central opening in. the annular neck portion 18 of yoke 17, and

an annular flange or collar 31 on the ball member engages the neck 18 whereby the ball member is supported by the yoke With the ball `27 positioned centrally Within the socket 28, but out of contact with theiwalls thereof. scribed, serves to support the flexible conduit construction from the adapter 1 and at the same time permits universal angular movement thereof by reason of the pivotal Connections between the yoke 17 andring 14 andbetiveen the ring 14 and the socket member 13. Also, since the ball member 27 is Vfreely swiveled Within the neck portion 18 of the yoke 17, the vertically disposed conduit member 6 can be' rotated freely about its central longitudinal axis, inV What-v ever angular position it may assume.

An annular gasket 32, preferably of rubber composition, is slidably mounted Within the "cylindrical socket 2S, and has a lowercurved surface 33 adapted to engage the spherical end portion of ball 27. This gasket is forced into place by coiled spring 34, bearing at its upper end against the inner surface of socket member 1B, and Vat its lower end against a rmetal follower 35, which projects into the gasket 32.' The gasket 32 Will also be urged into place, to

sealr the joint between the ball and socket members, by the steam pressurer normally existing Within the flexible pipe connection. rlhe socket member 13 is formed internally, near its lower edge, With a groove 36 in which is positioned a packing ring 37 which bears against the ball iember 27 vand yis adapted to prevent dust, dirt, cinders, and the like from entering between the ball and socket. f

The positioning of this flexible jointvert-ically, so that it operates aboutie vertical axis, Will cause the parts (particularly the rlChe articulating means just de.

llGV

gasket 82 and packing ring 37) to Wear i equally throug y increasing the eliective life ofthe goint and insuring a steam-tight-conneetlon at alltlines,

ghout their circumferences, thusY Preferably .the intermediate tubular conduit member G is inclosed in a heat insulating covering 38, fitting between heads 89 and held in place by 'clamping Vstraps 40, all as shown in Figs. l and 5. f

The lower horizontally extending conduit member 8, which carries the coupler ll, is connected with the elbowvlitting by means et a flexible joint 9, which in most respects is the saine as the flexible joint 7 hereinabove described in detail. However,

. this llexible joint 9 permits angular movement of the socket member about one axis only, together with a rotar y or swiveling' movement as in the upper flexible joint. A. yoke 4l, having` a collar 42 swiveled on the end et elbow ltltting l0 behind ashoulder 43, is pivotel by means ot a pair ot horizontally arranged pivot studs 44 `to the socket member 45 ot tlexible joint 9. Thus this joint permits an angular 4swinging' movement oi the horizontal conduit member 8 and the coupling ll about one axis only (normally in vertical plane), although these members may swivel about substantially the longitudinal axis ot this portion ot the pipe connection.

The lower or outwardly extending portion of the flexible structure, that is to say, 'the horizontal conduit member 8, the couplerr ll, and part et' the .flexible joint 9, are provided with supporting means for holdino' this portion ot the connection up from the track when its coupler is not in engagement with a mating coupler.` rllhis supporting means is so constructed and arranged as to allow the ilexibility at the articulations oit the conduit structure requisite tor coupling and uncoupling the same, and for giving the structure tac capacity to adapt itself to the relative shitting movements ot the cars between which the connection is located. The ends of the adjacent cars ot a railway train may rise and tall, one with respect to the other, may be displaced angularly one trom another, and in ther starting up and stopping of the train, may recede from and approach one another. In tact, these movements may be combined, and it has been one ot the problems, in aroviding` an all-metal substitute for the rubber hoses commonly used for con# necting` the train pipe orp a railway train, to design a structure made up @frigid parts articulated in such a way as to give the necessary flexibility while avoiding arrange ments which mioht, with certain movements of the cars, bring parts ot thev structure into too close proximity to the roadbed. The

relatively movable parts ot' the flexible struc-v ture herein shownv are so proportioned and disposed, one with respect to the other, that all possible movementsbt' the car are proT vided tor without bringing any part ot the structure close to the track. these llexible structures, however, is not lin -When one Yof' coupled relation with another such structure (or equivalent element), as will be the case at the end ot the train, the structure will backwardly and downwardly. the parts flexing at thepivotal oints so that the coupler ll is likely yto drag along the track. To prevent this, a chain or ther flexible member is provided which extends trom the outer end ot the structure to the upper or iixed end thereof, or to some lixed pointl on the car adjacent thereto. Except 'for extreme movements of the cars, particularly movements otone car away from the other, it will be possible. to use a non-extensible vchain provided that the chain is arranged to it S extend in the diagonal direction shown in the drawings. Prei'ferably, however, in order to makev certain the accommodation ot the connection to all possible movements ot the cars, the supporting member is made so that it will stretch to a certain extent under I stress developed by the relative movements ofthe cars. lith this end inview, the supporting' member is preferably composed oi two links orl sections of chain 46 andy 47, between which isinterposed a coiled spring' 48 adapted to be put under compression by a longitudinal pull on the links. The link 47 is connected at its lower end'to a lug or eye 49 on the horizontal conduit 8, and is connected at its upper end to an eye 5() at the lower end of a shank 5l extending through compression spring 48 and having a head 52 engaging the upper end ot the spring'. The shank 5l passes slidably through an opening in the head 53 ot the casing 54, which casing' encloses the spring 48 with the head 53 bearing against the other end of the spring' 48 from the head 52. yThe upper link or chain section 46 connects an eye, 55 on casing 54 with some upper fixed portion of the flexible structure or with some adjacent portion of the car. In the arrangement here shown, the upper end of link 46 is connected to an eye 56 on an annular member 57 swiveled on the neck portion 5 at the upper end of socket member 13. This flexible connection for supporting the lower portion of the conduit structure when not connected to a mating coupling is claimed in our parent application, Serial No. 544,- 448, hereinabove referred to.

All of the flexible structures, including the supporting device for the horizontal section 8, except the adapter l, may be 'manufactured and assembled as a unit. The proper adapter is screwed into the end valve 2. The flexible structure may then be attached to the adapter by rotating the socket member '13, which can turn with respect to the lower portions of the liexible structure by reason of the swiveled connection between yoke i7 and the ball member 27.

In operation7 the flexible metallic conduit structure is coupled up with or uncoupled from a similar flexible structure on an adjacent car7 or with an equivalent connecting element such as the rubber hose connection in common use in this situation7 by the usual manipulations oic the coupler heads. If the couplers are oi the so-called gravity type, as shown. in the drzruvingsy the Afleiible structure may be iieed at the dilierent pivotal points, to allow thevtorward end of the coupler to be tilted upwardly and downwardly to allow the cams oione coupler to ride over those ot the other. Theswiveled relation oi the parts will also allow the vertical faces of the mating` couplers to be accurately itted one against the other, even though the end valves may not be set accurately at the same angle on their respective car train pipes. These flexible and swiveled connections will permit all ordinary relative movements as between the cars, and allow the necessary flexibility of the connection under ordinary service conditions. ln case of an extreme movement o' separation between the cars, involving a stress on the supporting.;` member for the horizontal portion of the conduit structure, this supporting member can elongate because of the interposition therein ot the compression spring 48. lVhen the tlexible conduit structure is not coupled up with a mating element, as will be the case at the end oi' the train, the supporting member is already in place to hold up this portion of the conduit structure so that it will not be injured by falling into contact with the ties or roadbed.

Vile claim: y

l. In combination with the articulated elements ot a iexible metallic conduit, a pivot construction forming a part of saidarticulation comprising a bushingv set into .one of said elements, the inner end ofV which is closed, and a pivot stud secured to the other element and projecting into said bushing, the pivot stud being provided with lubricant ducts leading` from the inner end ot the same to the bearing,` surfaces of said stud and bushing'. l

2.y In combination with the articulated elements or" a vflexible metallic conduit7 a pivot construction 'forming a part of saidarti'cu` lation comprising a bushing set into one oi' saidl elements, the inner end of which is closed, a pivot .st-ud secured to the other element and projecting into said bushing and Ytermed Vwith a central longitudinal lubri-v cant duct, and transverse ducts leading therefrom to the bearino surfaces of the 4'stud and bushing. Y ln combination with the articulated elements of a liexible nietallicfconduit7 a pivot construction forming a part of said articu-v nennirr H. conn( EDWARD A. RUSSELL.

ceY 

